Something More

by Mia Castile

  “Is that better?” he asked, as he blew on her knee. She nodded.

  “Band-Aids?” His eyes held hers.

  “In the bathroom off the kitchen.” He stood and followed her instructions. He didn’t see her bedroom; he wondered where that door was hidden. He returned with a large Band-Aid. He opened it as he knelt in front of her again. He leaned in and kissed the scrape. She gasped and looked at him in confusion.

  “My mom always kissed my boo-boo’s,” he said with a smirk as he put the Band-Aid on.

  “I’m not three, Jamison.” He stood and smiled down on her.

  “No, you’re not, but you are safe at home.” She nodded to him seriously. When he went to the door, she stood and followed him. “Just so I will sleep well tonight, use that chain.” He motioned to the chain hanging beside the door. She nodded and closed the door behind him.

  Chapter 5

  Ethan emerged from his bedroom still in his clothes from the night before, holding his head and squinting at the light. Jamison sat at the table eating eggs and bacon.

  “You hungry?” Jamison asked. Ethan’s face turned three shades of green.

  “No, I’m good.” He went over to the refrigerator and took out a Gatorade. Jamison continued eating.

  “How are you able to eat? I saw you drinking last night too.” Ethan fell into the couch.

  “Oh, I don’t drink. I was just drinking coke,” Jamison shrugged.

  “I DON’T DRINK! You told me—” He trailed off realizing that Jamison hadn’t told him he had to drink. “How long did Nyla stay after I passed out?” He groaned.

  “Not long, she had to work today. She was a little tipsy when she left though, and next party you don’t mix drinks, OK?” Jamison took his empty plate to the sink and began to wash it.

  “How did she get home? You didn’t let her walk by herself, did you?” Ethan sat up, his expression accusing.

  “No, I walked her home and made sure she made it up to her apartment. She was fine.” Jamison crossed the living room to go to his room.

  “So let me get this straight, I drank too much and didn’t get anywhere with her, and YOU walked her home. Did you kiss her?” Ethan slowly rose with his hands in fists.

  “No—I mean, no.” Jamison avoided his eyes. “I’m not trying to move in on her. Trust me. No.” He shook his head.

  “Back up, what do you mean ‘no, I mean, no’?” Ethan imitated Jamison’s tone.

  “Well, she fell and scraped her knee, and I cleaned it up for her, and I kissed it for good measure.” Jamison felt like he was on trial.

  “For good measure?” Ethan repeated, fuming now. He stormed to his bedroom and slammed the door.

  “Yep,” Jamison said to an empty room.

  Nyla had swallowed so many Tylenol and Advil in the time between her walk from the coffee house to when she sat at her desk waiting for the lunch break. Saturdays were always busy. That was when they opened the doors and let people wander in. She was able to earn commission on Saturdays, and she liked interacting with potential clients. She rose and walked an elderly couple to the door as Jamison came in.

  “We’re closing for lunch,” she said, putting her hand to her head.

  “I know,” he smiled.

  “I’m not going to go to lunch with you.” She rolled her eyes.

  “I know.” He came in from the doorway and leaned on the counter at the front desk. “How’s your knee?” She locked the door and walked around behind the counter to her desk, taking out her purse from the drawer.

  “It’s fine.” She pulled out her sack lunch, sat it on the desk, and stood there watching him. Angela descended the stairs with freshly reddened lips and brushed hair. Nyla raised her eyebrow as she looked down at her computer. Jamison smiled at Angela.

  “You’re early.” She walked over to him and kissed his cheek.

  “Yeah, I was ahead of schedule, so I thought I’d head over.” He glanced at Nyla, her face red as she stared out the opposite window.

  “Nyla, I should be back in about an hour, but if I run late, go ahead and re-open. You can handle anyone who comes in, right?” Angela purred, as she slithered her arm through Jamison’s. He put his hand in his pocket, turned, and led her to the front door.

  “Of course,” Nyla said in a small voice. They left and she locked the door behind them. Jamison held the door to his SUV open for Angela. She smiled and waved to Nyla. Nyla waved back, but didn’t return the smile. She returned to her desk and ate her lunch in silence. She wondered why it bothered her so much that Jamison was taking Angela out to lunch, besides the fact that she was older than both of their sisters. “Cougar cub,” she mumbled to herself.

  When she finally arrived home, she fell into her bed that was still down. She was exhausted. Her cell phone rang in the pocket of her jacket. She reached to answer it.

  “Are you mad at me?” Ethan’s voice sounded rough like he’d just woken up.

  “Why would I be mad at you?” She rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling.

  “Because I got really drunk and passed out on you.” She heard him take a deep breath.

  “It happens to the best of us; I got a little drunk too. Jamison walked me home.”

  “He told me. How is your knee?” She flexed it.

  “It feels better.” There was a silence. She wondered what he wasn’t telling her.

  “Would you like to go out tonight? There is a jazz band playing at The Blue Note, and they’re having a dry night tonight.” She just wanted to sleep, but instead she agreed, and he said he would pick her up at eight. This date was casual. Instead of a nice restaurant, they went to a blue’s bar with dark walls and tiny tables. They found a table for four in the corner and settled in. A gorgeous woman in a short, bright blue dress with a low neckline was singing in a low sultry voice. They ordered appetizers and drinks as they made small talk. Ethan still looked like he was recovering from the evening before.

  “I never drink,” he said apologetically.

  “I don’t either; my best friends and I snuck some wine coolers right before graduation and a couple of times this past summer. That was the first party I’ve been to that Jamison has thrown.” She shook her head, not believing she had actually gone. “I only came because you invited me.” She added as she looked down at the pictures of former patrons under the plexiglass tabletop. The bar was starting to fill up. She looked around and saw familiar faces from her neighborhood and school.

  “I’m glad you came last night and tonight.” Ethan cupped his hand over hers on the table.

  “Can we sit with you guys?” They both looked up at the boy standing there. Behind him Jamison looked apologetic, but only slightly.

  “Seriously?” Nyla asked Jamison, ignoring the other boy.

  “There aren’t any free tables, and Jami said he knew you guys,” the boy answered. Nyla opened her mouth to respond, but Ethan beat her to it.

  “It’s OK.” He took his hand from Nyla’s, and she stared at him, not believing her ears.

  “I’m Lee.” The boy took the seat beside Nyla. She just nodded to him.

  “This is my roommate Ethan, and Nyla; she’s in a couple of our study groups,” Jamison explained.

  “So that’s how you two know each other?” Lee motioned to Nyla and Ethan.

  “Yes, this is our second date,” Ethan offered defensively.

  “Oh, so we’re cramping your style?” Lee laughed as he leaned back and rested his hand on the back of Nyla’s chair. She leaned forward.

  “Sorry, guys. We won’t stay long; we’re meeting up with some friends before we go someplace else,” Jamison said as he signaled the waitress.

  “Where are you going?” Nyla was growing more agitated.

  “Chasers, then maybe Mavericks,” Jamison answered and then gave a drink order to the waitress.

  “You can’t get into those bars,” she protested, crossing her arms. Ethan looked from her to Jamison and couldn’t believe she was picking a fight wi
th him.

  “You can with a fake ID, but don’t tell anyone,” Lee interjected, oblivious to the tension at the table.

  “What if you get caught?” She didn’t take her eyes off Jamison’s.

  “Then we’ll spend the night in jail,” Lee answered. “It’ll be worth it though; tonight is going to be epic.” Nyla opened her mouth to say something else, but Ethan stood and held out his hand to her.

  “Let’s dance.” She took his hand and stood, still glaring at Jamison. She followed him to the dance floor. He swept her in his arms and they began rocking back and forth in time with the bluesy tune. This time he kept in step with the beat.

  “Don’t think about those losers,” Ethan encouraged her. She looked up at him, still scowling. He lifted his finger to smooth the crinkled skin between her eyes.

  “They’re not losers.” She looked back over at the table where Lee was talking to Jamison. He only nodded; his eyes were glued to Nyla’s. She looked away, back at Ethan. “They’re just stupid, I guess.” Ethan laughed at that. They danced the rest of the song, and each time Nyla looked at Jamison, he was watching them. Knowing he was paying that much attention to them made her anxious. She stepped on Ethan’s toes, and her face flushed. Lee had made his way to the bar and was talking to two girls. She looked back at Ethan, who was humming along with the song.

  “Despite being invaded by the ever-present roomy, I’m glad I came out with you tonight.” She smiled shyly.

  “Yeah?” He nervously ran his fingers through his hair before returning it to her waist.

  “Yeah,” she said softly as she leaned her head on his shoulder again. Jamison still sat on the edge of her peripheral vision, still watching them closely.

  On the walk home she laced her fingers through his. He smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He walked her up to the front door. She turned and smiled at him.

  “I had fun; thanks for dragging me out.” She gently tugged on his hand and made him step closer to her.

  “Me too,” he said, as she stepped into him and closed the distance between them. He hesitantly leaned into her, his soft lips barely touching hers. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him tightly to her and kissed him. It wasn’t a mind-blowing kiss, but it took her mind off Jamison. Finally, they broke apart, and he smiled dreamily. “Wow,” he whispered.

  Chapter 6

  Jamison couldn’t take his eyes off Nyla and Ethan as they danced. He still didn’t understand why she dominated his thoughts, but he watched her in her dark jeans and flowing blouse. Her long brown hair swayed down her back but found a way to glisten in the dim light. He wondered where they went when they left. Did they go her apartment? Did she show him her hidden bedroom, or other secrets? Finally, after he’d had enough of his overactive imagination, he ditched his friends and left. He wandered home and went straight to his room. He didn’t want to come between Nyla and her happiness, but he also didn’t want to see her with safe, boring Ethan. Nyla couldn’t blossom with someone like Ethan; she needed someone to challenge her. As he drifted off to sleep, his last thought was that Nyla deserved someone better than boring old Ethan.

  Over the course of the next few weeks, they all fell into a rhythm. Jamison was now part of Nyla’s life, and she was accepting it. She sat in the library at an old, dark cherry table with Maddie and Jamison getting in a final cram session before their first test. In the beginning, Jamison sat listening to music with headphones on as he studied quietly. He felt a little left out as they quizzed each other. When Maddie and Nyla began chatting, Jamison turned down his music but still pretended to be studying.

  “So have you guys kissed yet?” Maddie prodded, leaning in to her.

  “Yes, it was OK.” Nyla’s smile hid something in it. Was there a spark there or not, Jamison wondered. He looked down at his book.

  “Have you guys, you know, done it yet?” Maddie’s eyes widened. Jamison began bouncing his leg in anticipation.

  “No, that’s not going to happen for a while.” Nyla was resolute. Jamison let out the breath he was holding, and the girls looked at him. He felt their eyes on him, but he didn’t look up; he just said, “Corazon” under his breath. They went back to their conversation.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because. . .” She held up her pointer finger for number one. “We’ve only been dating for a few weeks now. And. . .” She added her middle finger holding up the number two. “He’s not ready; I think I might have been his first kiss, ever.”

  “Have you ever done it?” Maddie asked, eyes still wide, and Jamison’s leg began bouncing again. He knew she hadn’t; she hadn’t had any boyfriends in high school.

  “Yeah.” Jamison’s eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at his page, his eyes glued to it as he strained to listen, as their voices softened.

  “When?”

  “I volunteered at a summer camp through high school, and there was this boy. We always flirted the first couple years, and then the summer between my junior year and senior year, we did a lot more. We made out almost every night after the campers went to bed.” Nyla smiled at Maddie remembering how sweet Brad was. He laughed at her jokes and made her laugh too. He listened and cared about her opinion. She wondered where he ended up going to college.

  “Hawt!” Maddie said in a loud whisper. Jamison clutched his hands in fists and moved them to his lap.

  “Yeah, well, he was from Terre Haute, and we both knew from the beginning that it was just a summer thing no matter what happened, and the last night after all the campers left the counselors had a bonfire, and we spent the night together and you know,” she smiled. Jamison didn’t know what he felt. Sure he wasn’t a virgin, but he was sure that Nyla still was. She didn’t deserve to be a summer fling.

  “Did you love him?” Maddie closed the distance between them; Jamison barely heard the question.

  “I don’t know. I really liked him, enough to be my first. It was a beautiful experience that I wouldn’t change for anything. I think that’s how you have to look at every experience.” She nodded and Maddie matched her movement.

  “I wish mine was as special as that,” Maddie chimed and Nyla shrugged.

  “It is what you make it.”

  “I wonder what his was like.” Maddie motioned with her head to Jamison. He continued looking down, turning the page to seem oblivious.

  “From what I hear, it was a high school party and involved a French expression.” Nyla raised her eyebrows smiling mischievously. Jamison smirked; he could barely contain a laugh.

  “ménage a trois?” Maddie mouthed. Jamison took off his headphones and threw them in his book.

  “Are you guys struggling with this as much as I am? He covered his face with his hands and leaned back trying to gain his composure. Like everything else, it was just a rumor that he had started himself .

  “Maybe you’d have better luck if you took another language more your speed, like French,” Maddie chimed in as the girls began stacking their books.

  “No, I failed French in high school.” He didn’t know how he kept a straight face when both of them turned red, and they burst into high-pitched giggles. “What?” he asked innocently. “What am I missing?” Nyla raised her eyebrow to him, smiling. He began stacking his books too and shoving them into his bag. They pushed in their chairs and began to leave the library. He trailed behind them, throwing his bag over his shoulder. They were cutting it close for their lecture. When they arrived there were two seats in the back and one to the side. Maddie made her way to the single seat. She waved at the boy sitting beside it. He looked thrilled to see her and motioned for her to come to him. That left Jamison and Nyla for the upper corner. They made their way to the seats and Nyla smooshed in by the wall. She only had one arm rest, the one she shared with Jamison. It was no wonder this was the last seat available. She took out her notebook. She knew she wouldn’t be able to record much from this seat way up in the back. Jamison took out his stuff and settled in, spreading his
legs so that one rested against hers. If she adjusted and moved closer to the wall, so did he.

  “Comfy?” she asked, leaning into him. He turned to her, extremely close to her face.

  “Very, thanks.” His breath smelled like cinnamon. He turned back to his notes.

  I think our professor took Professor 101. Could he be any more clichéd? Jamison wrote on his empty notebook page.

  I always wanted to have a generic college experience, glad to get it over with early rather than later. Nyla giggled as she leaned into him and scribbled.

  I’m glad we’re in this class together; I don’t think I could survive my college experience without our study groups and friends in this class. He nudged her she leaned into his shoulder and read.

  Me too. She wrote and was surprised that she meant it.

  “We have a scary movie and this.” Ethan tossed the romantic comedy at the cushion beside Nyla on the couch. She was becoming more comfortable in the apartment he shared with Jamison, especially when Jamison wasn’t there. He was no doubt out wooing his cougar girlfriend, Angela. Not that she cared, or wanted to care, or understood why she did care.

  “Sandra Bullock every time,” Nyla smiled, tossing it back to him. Ethan put it in the Blue-ray player. He settled in beside her, pulling her to him. They squeaked as they adjusted on the leather couch. She pulled up the throw blanket he’d brought from his room, and they were finally comfortable. She had seen this movie before, but it still moved her. It was about halfway over when the door opened. She didn’t look over her shoulder to see who it was; she knew who it was, and it didn’t matter if he was alone or not. The door closed behind Jamison, and the apartment was engulfed in darkness again. She relaxed, not realizing she had stiffened. Ethan squeezed her around her shoulders. Jamison came in and sat down where her feet were. He adjusted her feet and propped his arm up over the back of the couch.

  “I’ve seen this one,” he said as he watched it.